Early-morning fire guts Saginaw rental home on S. Michigan

View full sizeA fire caused about $70,000 worth of damage to a home located at 703 S. Michigan. Brad Devereaux | The Saginaw News

SAGINAW, MI — A fire that began about 4 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 20, severely damaged a two-story rental home that was occupied by four tenants in three separate apartments, the Saginaw Fire Department reports.

Some of the tenants were inside the house at 703 S. Michigan when the blaze started, but everyone escaped without injuries, according to Saginaw Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Filary.

The house was split into five apartments, Filary said, and the fire originated in the main level of the approximately 2,500-square-foot home and caused about $70,000 worth of damage to the structure.

"It was windy that night, the winds really made the fire spread quickly," Filary said.

The fire department used a truck-mounted ladder and hoses on the ground to soak the fire, clearing the scene after about four hours, he said. One firefighter sustained a minor shoulder strain injury, Filary said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A rental agent in charge of the property could not give any additional updates about future plans for the home, but confirmed that four tenants occupying three apartments in the building were displaced by the fire.